While researching the role of the Citadel cadets on Morris Island during the Civil War I came across two interesting newspaper articles, shown below, about the Star of the West Medal. According to these articles the history of the “Star of the West” drill at the Citadel dates back to 1893, when the contest was first launched at Aiken, SC, the scene of the annual encampment at the suggestion of Dr. Benjamin Hammet Teague, a Confederate veteran and local dentist in Aiken. Each company at the military college holds its own “Little Star of the West” drill and enters four cadets in the general competition, and prominent visiting military officers, who know each competitor only by number, determine the results. The drill medal is named after the U.S.S. Star of the West the vessel upon which a battery of Citadel cadets fired on from Morris Island in Charleston harbor as it attempted to resupply Fort Sumter. A mural on the first floor the Citadel library depicts the scene of the cadets firing on the ship from Morris Island..

Dr. Teague had a historical collection of war relics, and among them was a piece of oakwood that had once been part of the Star of the West. He sawed a small piece of this wood into the shape of a star and had it mounted on a gold medal. The medal is the most prestigious award for individual drill excellence at The Citadel. The recipient is a member of one of the three lower classes (Knobs, Sophomores, and Juniors) so that the winner can wear the medal as a cadet during the following academic year. They would wear the medal for one year and then pass it to the next recipient. It is presented to the winner during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Convocation Award ceremony in May. In addition, the winner has their name inscribed on the Star of the West monument on Summerall Field.

The competition is held annually just before graduation. The 1903 medal is shown below awarded to John Francis O’Mara, Class of 1904, besides being given ownership of the original medal for one year, he was also given this smaller medal, which was a copy of the original (link).

The winners from the last 3 years are shown below.